A Gentleman from Mississippi eBook

“That proceeding would attract too much attention
from the newspapers,” he added.

“Well, I thought you wanted to win,” grunted
Steinert. “I’ve been offerin’
you good stuff, too—­new stuff. None
of yer druggin’ with chloroform or ticklin’
with blackjacks. Why, I’ve gone from fine-esse
to common sense. But, come to think of it, how
about some woman? I c’n get one to introduce
to—­”

“This is the wrong kind of a man,” interrupted
Peabody.

“Unless you got the right kind of a woman,”
went on Steinert.

Senator Stevens choked some more.

“The boss of the Senate” sank down in
his chair, crossed one knee over the other and drummed
his fingers lightly on the table. He gazed thoughtfully
at Stevens.

“Yes,” he observed, slowly, “unless
you’ve got the right sort of a woman.”

Rising, he led the Mississippian to one side.

The lobbyist heard the Southerner give a short exclamation
of astonishment as Peabody whispered to him.

“It’s all right. It’s all right,”
he then heard the Pennsylvanian say, irritably.
“She’ll understand. She can be trusted.
She expects you.”

Stevens gave a violent start at the last assurance,
but his colleague hurriedly helped him into his coat.

“Go in a closed carriage,” was Peabody’s
final warning. “Be sure to tell her to
get hold of his two daughters on some pretext at once.
She knows them well. Maybe we can influence the
old man through his girls, don’t you see?”

And while Senator Peabody and Jake Steinert recurred
to a previous discussion concerning one J.D.
Telfer, Mayor of Gulf City, Senator Stevens started
on the most memorable drive of his career on this
bright winter morning, to the house of the fascinating
Mrs. Spangler—­who for the past week had
been considering his proposal of marriage.

CHAPTER XXV

CAROLINA LANGDON’S RENUNCIATION

Senator Langdon’s committee room at the Capitol
presented a busy scene at an unusually early hour
the morning after the entertainment at his home.
Bud Haines, reinstated as secretary, was picking up
the thread of routine where he had dropped it the
day before, though his frequent thought of Hope and
the words that had thrilled him—­“I
love you, I love you fondly”—­made
this task unusually difficult. He impatiently
wished the afternoon to hasten along, as he knew he
would then see her in the Senate gallery, where she
would go to hear her father’s speech.

This speech had to be revised in some particulars
by Bud, and the work he knew would take up much of
the morning. The Senator’s speech was “The
South of the Future,” which he would deliver
when recognized by the President of the Senate in
connection with the naval base bill, that officer
having agreed to recognize Langdon at 3:30, at which
time the report of the naval affairs committee would
be received. Just how Langdon would turn the
tables on Peabody and Stevens and yet win for the
Altacoola site not even the ex-newspaper man, experienced
in politics, had solved. Clearly the Senator
would have to do some tall thinking during the morning.